Method for sealing a heat transfer device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method for sealing a heat transfer device, comprising the following steps: step 1, completely or partially cutting off an inactive section respectively at a front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device to form a cut-off opening close to a flow guide device inside the heat transfer device; and step 2, sealing the respective cut-off opening by wrapping around the respective cut-off opening formed in step 1 with a sealing member.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method for sealing a heat transfer device.

BACKGROUND

Heat transfer device such as heat pipe, vapor chamber and aluminum heat plate has the advantages of small volume, high heat transfer efficiency and the like, being widely used in laptop computers and mobile phones. The heat transfer device typically comprises a heat transfer device main body with a working chamber in which a capillary structure and flow guide holes are provided. Heat is rapidly transferred from a heat absorption end to a heat dissipation end by means of gas-liquid phase conversion of working liquids such as water and the like. The heat absorption end is usually closely attached to a heat source such as a processor chip, and the heat dissipation end usually performs rapid heat dissipation through heat dissipation fins, heat dissipation fans, etc. In order to facilitate the production, a heat transfer device is usually made into a uniform tube or plate shape, and in order to ensure the sealing performance of the heat transfer device and prevent the leakage of the working fluid, it is necessary to seal both ends of the heat transfer device. For the heat transfer device with a larger opening such as a heat pipe, sealing is typically achieved by means of a pinch and welding process, and for the heat transfer device with a thinner thickness such as a vapor chamber or an aluminum heat plate, sealing is typically achieved by means of pressing and resistance welding process. In order to facilitate the pinch or resistance welding, it is common to leave a long inactive section at both ends of the heat transfer device, with no flow guide structure such as a capillary structure provided in the inactive section, showing a poor heat transfer efficiency. Although the heat absorption end and the heat dissipation end also avoid these inactive sections, these inactive sections still have some influence on the heat transfer operation of the heat transfer device and occupy a certain space. Under the condition that the inner space of an electronic product is more insufficient than ever, these inactive sections certainly cause great waste to the use of the inner space of the electronic product.

FIG. 1 is a conventional heat pipe, in which both ends of a heat pipe 11 are sealed by means of a pinch and welding process, respectively forming an inactive section 111 without a capillary structure therein.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a method for sealing a heat transfer device capable of reducing the space occupied by an inactive section of the heat transfer device and improving the heat transfer efficiency of the heat transfer device.

The technical solution adopted by the disclosure for solving the technical problems is as follows.

There is provided a method for sealing a heat transfer device, comprising the following steps:

step 1, completely or partially cutting off an inactive section respectively at a front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device to form a respective cut-off opening close to a flow guide device inside the heat transfer device; and

step 2, sealing the respective cut-off opening by wrapping around the respective cut-off opening formed in the step 1 with a sealing member.

In some embodiments, the step 1 further comprises a first sub-step of forming a pressed part by flattening the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device, before completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and rear portions of the heat transfer device, the cut-off opening is formed at the respective pressed part.

In some embodiments, the pressed part formed by the first sub-step is provided with an embossed pattern.

In some embodiments, the step 1 further comprises a second sub-step of forming a welded part by welding the heat transfer device respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device, before or after completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device in the step 1.

In some embodiments, the second sub-step is conducted after completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device in the step 1, and in the step 1, completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device is conducted by means of a cutter device capable of maintaining a shut state after shutting to perform a cutting-off operation until the second sub-step is complete.

In some embodiments, the step 1 further comprises, before the second sub-step, a third sub-step of pre-pressing the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device.

In some embodiments, the sealing member is a tin sealing member formed by a tin coating treatment.

In some embodiments, the sealing member is a plastic sealing member.

In some embodiments, the plastic seal is formed on the heat transfer device by an injection molding process.

In some embodiments, the heat transfer device is selected from a group consist of a heat pipe, a vapor chamber and an aluminum heat plate.

The advantages of the present disclosure are as follows: in the present disclosure, by completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device and then sealing the respective cut-off opening, the sealing effect of the heat transfer device can be ensured and the size of the inactive section of the heat transfer device can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the heat transfer device, improving the heat transfer efficiency, and effectively promoting the quality of the product. The sealing method provided by the disclosure wraps a sealing member around the cut-off opening to perform sealing, which ensures a good sealing effect, without a portion set by on the heat transfer device to be processed for sealing, thereby avoiding a new inactive section to be formed again and ensuring the cut-off opening to be as close to the flow guide device as possible, having a wide application range and facilitating the production. The sealing method can be conveniently applied following the existing production process of the heat transfer device without significantly changing the existing production process of the heat transfer device, and can be effectively and conveniently popularized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a structure of a conventional heat pipe;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the structure of a heat pipe manufactured by the method according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an end of a heat pipe manufactured by the method according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a structure of a vapor chamber manufactured by the method according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

There is provided a method for sealing a heat transfer device, comprising, in a first embodiment, the following steps: step 1, completely or partially cutting off an inactive section respectively at a front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device to form a cut-off opening close to a flow guide device inside the heat transfer device; and step 2, sealing the cut-off opening formed in step 1. In the present disclosure, the sealing performance for the heat transfer device can be ensured by completely or partially cutting off the inactive section 111 respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device and then sealing the cut-off opening, and the size of the respective inactive section 111 of the heat transfer device can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the heat transfer device, improving the heat transfer efficiency, and effectively promoting the quality of the product. In the present disclosure, a sealing member 21 is used to wrapped around the cut-off opening to ensure a good sealing performance, without a portion set by on the heat transfer device to be processed for sealing, thereby avoiding a new inactive section 111 to be formed again and ensuring the cut-off opening to be as close to the flow guide device as possible, having a wide application range and facilitating the production. The sealing method can be conveniently applied following the existing production process of the heat transfer device without significantly changing the existing production process of the heat transfer device, and can be effectively and conveniently popularized.

Step 1 of the present embodiment may also include a first sub-step of flattening an inactive section 111 respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device to form a pressed part; the first sub-step is conducted before completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and rear portions of the heat transfer device, and the cut-off opening is provided at the pressed portion, thereby being suitable for a heat transfer device with a large opening, for example, the heat transfer pipe 11 applied in the present embodiment, effectively reducing the size of the cut-off opening and facilitating the sealing.

The sealing member 21 may be a tin sealing member formed by a tin coating treatment, which is easy to process, can provide a good sealing effect, and has an anti-rust function which helps to extend the service life of the heat transfer device. The sealing member 21 may also be a plastic sealing member, which can be formed by melting a plastic raw material such as resin and coating the plastic raw material on the heat transfer device or by implementing an injection molding process to the heat transfer device in a corresponding mold, is easy to process, has an excellent sealing effect, and will not cause any corrosion. Of course, in practice, the sealing member 21 may be made of other common sealing materials which are not limited thereto.

FIG. 2 is a structural view of a heat pipe manufactured by the method according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the inactive sections 111 at both ends of the heat pipe 11 are cut off after being flattened, and then the cut-off openings are wrapped by the sealing member 21, whereby reducing the length of the heat pipe, improving the heat transfer efficiency of the heat pipe, and facilitating the installation and use thereof. In practice, the inactive section 111 may also be completely cut away.

The present disclosure further provide a second embodiment, which differs from the first embodiment in that the pressed part formed in the first sub-step is provided with an embossed pattern 22, so that the robustness of the connection between the sealing member 21 and the heat transfer device can be improved, the sealing member 21 can be positioned and prevented from being released, thereby ensuring the quality of the product. The embossed pattern 22 can be selected from common pattern shapes such as a grid pattern, a strip pattern by those skilled in the art according to actual needs. The embossed pattern 22 can be formed simultaneously in the flattening operation by providing an embossed pattern on a corresponding pressed part during flattening.

FIG. 3 is a structural view of an end of a heat pipe manufactured by the method according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein inactive sections 111 at both ends of the heat pipe 11 respectively form an embossed pattern 22 on the pressed part during flattening, after which the pressed part is partially cut off, and then sealed by a sealing member 21.

The disclosure further provide a third embodiment, which differs from the first embodiment in that the step 1 further comprises a second sub-step of welding the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device to form a respective welded part before or after completely or partially cutting off the inactive section 111 at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device in step 1. For a separate heat transfer device with a longer inactive section 111, a welding operation may be performed firstly before cutting off the inactive section 111 with the cut-off opening being at the welded part to facilitate ensuring a flat and smooth cut-off opening. For a continuously formed heat transfer device, the welding operation may be performed following the steps of reducing the length of the inactive sections 111 between two adjacent heat transfer devices and cutting off the inactive sections 111. This embodiment is applicable to heat transfer devices with a small thickness, such as the vapor chamber 12 and the aluminum heat plate, and the welded part can be formed by the welding operation to achieve good sealing. Of course, in practice, with regard to an independent heat transfer device, it is also possible to perform firstly cutting and then welding operation, and with regard to a continuously formed heat transfer device, it is also possible to perform welding operation first and then cutting, and a person skilled in the art would be able to flexibly adjust when to implement the second sub-step according to actual needs. The welding operation can employ typical welding methods such as resistance welding, argon arc welding, diffusion welding, which may be chosen flexibly by a person skilled in the art.

Step 1 in this embodiment may further include, before the second sub-step, a third sub-step of pre-pressing the inactive section 111 at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device, thus reducing the thickness and opening size of the inactive section 111, facilitating the welding operation and wrapped sealing with the sealing member 21.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a vapor chamber manufactured by the method according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, in which one end of the vapor chamber 12 for installing a liquid injection pipe is pre-pressed and then a welded part is formed by a welding operation thereon, and then the welded part is partially cut off and sealed by a sealing member 21. In practice, because the inactive section 111 of the vapor chamber 12 is short, it is also possible to cut off only a part of the liquid injection pipe while retain the welded part, or both ends of the vapor chamber 12 may be pre-pressed, resistance welded and sealed.

The present disclosure may also be applied to aluminum heat plates, and similarly, the inactive section 111 of the aluminum heat plate may be flattened and wrapped with the sealing member 21, or firstly pre-pressed, then resistance welded, and finally wrapped with the sealing member 21.

The foregoing is merely preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and technical solutions shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they achieve the purpose of the present disclosure in substantially the same manner. 

1. A method for sealing a heat transfer device, comprising: step 1, completely or partially cutting off an inactive section respectively at a front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device to form a respective cut-off opening close to a flow guide device inside the heat transfer device; and step 2, sealing the respective cut-off opening by wrapping around the respective cut-off opening formed in the step 1 with a sealing member.
 2. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the step 1 further comprises a first sub-step of forming a pressed part by flattening the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device, before completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and rear portions of the heat transfer device, the cut-off opening is formed at the respective pressed part.
 3. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the pressed part formed by the first sub-step is provided with an embossed pattern.
 4. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the step 1 further comprises a second sub-step of forming a welded part by welding the heat transfer device respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device, before or after completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device in the step
 1. 5. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 4, wherein the second sub-step is conducted after completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device in the step 1, and in the step 1, completely or partially cutting off the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device is conducted by means of a cutter device capable of maintaining a shut state after shutting to perform a cutting-off operation until the second sub-step is complete.
 6. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 4, wherein the step 1 further comprises, before the second sub-step, a third sub-step of pre-pressing the inactive section respectively at the front and/or rear portion of the heat transfer device.
 7. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is a tin sealing member formed by a tin coating treatment.
 8. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is a plastic sealing member.
 9. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 8, wherein the plastic seal is formed on the heat transfer device by an injection molding process.
 10. The method for sealing a heat transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer device is selected from the group consisting of a heat pipe, a vapor chamber and an aluminum heat plate. 